FIFA Bribery Probe: US Set To File More Criminal Charges

Loretta Lynch with Swiss Attorney general Michael Lauber

United States probe of widespread corruption within the world football governing body, FIFA, has been expanded with more officials likely to be ensnared and more charges filed.

US Attorney General Loretta Lynch gave this hint said at a news conference in Zurich on Monday.

“What I can say is that, separate and apart from the pending indictment, our investigation remains active and ongoing, and has in fact expanded since May,” Lynch said at a news conference alongside Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber.

“Based upon that cooperation [with Swiss authorities] and new evidence, we do anticipate pursuing additional charges against individuals and entities,” she said.

As part of the separate Swiss investigation, Lauber said his office had seized property and flats in the Swiss Alps in connection with its FIFA probe.

Lynch went on to say that US authorities are optimistic that all the individuals charged in its probe into corruption in world soccer will be extradited to the United States.

“We remain very hopeful that we will be able to bring to the US all those we charged in May,” Lynch told the news conference in Zurich.

In May the US indicted nine soccer officials and five sports marketing executives, charging them with racketeering, money laundering and wire fraud on suspicions they orchestrated multi-million-dollar bribery schemes over 24 years.

So far, only three of those indicted have appeared in US court.

*Reported by France 24, AFP and Reuters

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